


To Kiss a Mockingbird

by blueberrytrain



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, F/M, Fire Emblem: Three Houses Blue Lions Route, Garreg Mach Monastery (Fire Emblem), Gender-Neutral My Unit | Byleth, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, My Unit | Byleth Has Emotions, Other, Picnics, Post-Timeskip | War Phase (Fire Emblem: Three Houses), Tooth-Rotting Fluff, i wrote this while thinking of male byleth but you can imagine whatever, in which byleth becomes archbishop, somewhat but i figured it'd be worth the tag
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-01
Updated: 2020-03-01
Packaged: 2021-02-28 09:41:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,089
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22967911
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blueberrytrain/pseuds/blueberrytrain
Summary: Byleth and Yuri share a midnight snack, and the familiar warmth of each other's presence.
Relationships: Yuris Leclair | Yuri Leclerc/My Unit | Byleth
Comments: 6
Kudos: 116





	To Kiss a Mockingbird

**Author's Note:**

> i fell in love with yuri the moment he called byleth cute but i didn't expect his supports and GIANT heart to make me so mf Tender.....  
> i hope this is not too out of character, but this was sort of a love-letter to the side of yuri that's soft and honest behind closed doors. also for reference: yuri's birthstone is peridot, which can be used for letting go of the past and self-forgiveness. in this fic byleth takes over rhea's bedroom, so its written in the third floor of the monastery.

The late night, summer breeze was gentle against Byleth’s skin, leaving a familiar scent of pine in their bedchambers as the curtains swayed softly. The new Archbishop stood at the farthest end of the large balcony, with their eyes closed leaning against the stone wall. It wasn’t exactly rare to find them in such a spot since they assumed their position, but not even Seteth could bring himself to interrupt; especially so late in the night. Work was piling up as the minutes ticked by, and it was hard to catch up with their own thoughts after the war. It was only fair they wanted quiet, to themselves, with only the lilyponds and stars to keep them company.

“Ah, there you are. I was looking for you all over the monastery, you know,” a voice came from the doorway, followed by a warm, deep chuckle.

_Well. The lilyponds, the stars, and their Mockingbird, that is._

Byleth smiled at the fond tone the voice carried, lifting their head to greet the face they came to love so much. Yuri smiled in return as he walked towards them, breathing the air deeply and letting his eyes flutter closed as he exhaled. Byleth did the same. “This time of year is one of my favorites,” he began. “The mountains around Garreg Mach make it truly peaceful. I much prefer this over the cold of Fhirdiad, honestly.”

“Oh? Don’t like Old Man Winter nipping at your nose?” Byleth replied with a light tease, and gently tapped the tip of Yuri’s nose to punctuate.

Yuri swatted their hand away fondly. “You were lucky enough to travel as much as you did, friend. The Faerghus winters are definitely a force to be reckoned with, even in Rowe.”

Byleth closed their eyes again, and leaned against the wall once more. “No, I understand. Often times, as a mercenary, we would stay in certain areas during certain seasons. Work was unavoidable, of course, but at the very least we could decide temporary residence to avoid the seasonal weather.” They sighed as they recounted their days before the academy. It seemed like so long ago, as if they’d lived another life entirely, being reborn after they’d disappeared. So long ago, and yet they could recall it vividly. It was odd to think about how different everything was now. “I’m sure living in the north wouldn’t be so bad, if you were there to keep me warm.”

“Corny.” Yuri reached for their hand, weaving their fingers together. The dainty peridot ring on Byleth’s hand glinted in the light of the moon.

“Maybe so… But it's true,” Byleth said, resting their head in their elbow and bringing their joined hands close. They smiled warmly back at the other, listening to the trees rustle around them. “Is there a reason you were looking for me, before coming up here?”

“Nothing in particular, but I know you like to sit for a while when it gets this late. I like to be around you, even in the quiet. Though… I may have brought things from the dining hall, and some wine. If you’re up for a midnight snack, of course.”

“You trickster! What, trying to fatten me up, are you? You know as well as I do that it's not good to eat this time of night,” Byleth barked out, nudging Yuri’s shoulder in jest. They crossed their arms as they smirked at their husband.

“I didn’t think you’d be one to turn down food. Remind me again, who constantly pursued who during their time here? _Who_ brought dessert stand upon dessert stand of sweets? And somehow, I recall my favorite tea _always_ there. How peculiar.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about!”

Yuri snickered at that, finding their playful stubbornness endearing. “Right. So I guess you don’t want what I made?”

Byleth leaned forward with their hand resting on his bicep to press a slow kiss to the corner of Yuri’s mouth, feeling the other smile beneath their lips, before whispering, “I never said that. But I do hope you’ll save the best dessert for last.”

Moving inside to set things up, Byleth pulled Yuri by the wrist, wasting no time. The Abyssian found himself smiling, and warming at the cheeks, as he watched the other move about with sudden flare, more than likely excited by the small meal. The couple weren’t so foolish as to repeatedly skip meals, but they could very easily be found working while eating, or eating very little at a time. Yuri was ecstatic to cook for both of them when he could, but it more often than not was when even the world itself was asleep. To see his other half light up at the sight of a filled plate was worth every moment he spent below, wrapped up in his responsibilities; and being able to see such a thing by himself was something he cherished. He was lucky he could call that smile his own, and it made his stomach flutter.

It took only a short time, but they’d made it a joint effort to create a makeshift picnic on the balcony, with a soft blanket laid out on the stone between the lilyponds; an assortment of fruits and freshly baked tarts were set on a platter for the two of them to share, as well as a bottle of wine.

The couple sat down on the blanket in shared enthusiasm, and almost immediately began working on the wine’s contents. The conversation was easy, as they recounted different details of the day. Yuri was good at story-telling and reenactments, and it was interesting to watch when Constance was involved. Byleth found his imitation of her laugh to be the funniest, punctuating the sound with the back of his hand; he made an effort to make it more obnoxious every time, just to make his partner laugh.

Byleth wasn’t as comical with their stories, but it was comfortable. Most banter between them was initiated by Yuri, but the contrast in their personalities worked well. Their days were mostly filled with paperwork regarding the monastery and _a lot_ of Seteth, which always made Yuri laugh, as well. He was a trusted advisor and friend, but that never stopped either of them or the students from teasing the poor man; whether he could hear it or not.

After a particular imitation of the inescapable _’Duty of the Archbishop’_ lecture, Byleth swirled their second wine glass and stared down at the red liquid, leaning against Yuri’s side. “I do wish the work wasn’t all… Staring at papers until my eyes become dry, or writing until my quill snaps,” they sighed. “It’s not like I hate it… But sometimes it doesn’t feel like I’m doing any good.”

“It’s no secret that we were definitely more involved with the people during the war, I’ll give you that much,” Yuri agreed. He looked down at the other and watched as he spoke. “But… Trust me when I say that even the little things are making their way around. You’d be surprised how much talk there is in Abyss, about the Archbishop who might actually care about them, and if they lived.”

“...Really? You’re joking.” Byleth gripped their glass tighter and sat up, their eyes widening at the words. So much time had to be rewritten thanks to Rhea’s previous reign, and it was easy to feel like nothing was getting done when you don’t see it firsthand. All the new policies regarding the nobility, or new laws within the church itself; all of which needed to be sifted through slowly, like rinsing something clean of the dirt and filth in which you found it. 

“I would never joke about something like that, friend. When word got around that you were reforming the government, schooling, and supporting Abyss, no less… It was something to behold. People seemed happier, like maybe they were finally worth something in the eyes of the system.

“I did my best, and did what I could for my people during the war. But to be swept under the rug, to fend for ourselves… It hurts. To finally be accepted and recognized means a lot to the people below, and the people all around Fodlan who could do nothing but sit and wait for something to happen.”

Byleth sat in quiet awe. They wouldn’t have noticed the tears welling up in their eyes if it hadn’t clouded their vision, making the man in front of them a blurry blob of purple. Yuri brought a hand forward and gently brushed his thumb across their cheek, swiping a tear away. “And you have no idea how happy it makes me to see things finally turn around. I’ve been in contact with my mother since you were ordained... Since we exchanged rings. She seems genuinely happy. The cities in the north are seeing improvements, albeit small, but hearing them from her perspective makes it worth all the time we spend working.”

Yuri chuckled softly when Byleth sniffled, but they smiled upon hearing the mention of his mother. “I’m so glad… And I’m glad she’s doing well. I want to visit her someday, when we find the chance. She needs to know how incredible her son is, and how lucky he’s made me,” they said as they wiped their tears away. “He’s selfless and caring, even if he tries to hide it.”

“W-Well, I wouldn’t go that far--”

“It couldn’t be closer to the truth, Yuri. I love you. I want her to know that… Moreso, I want _you_ to know that.” Byleth could feel their cheeks reddening, but they accepted the warmth. Expressing their feelings so openly was something that took time, but it became easier around the man they let inside their metaphorical heart. The realization that it was love they felt whenever the two of them spoke, or found their hands brushing close in the quiet of the night by the fishing pond, or seeing the other after _five years_ of being gone and feeling a thousand emotions crash down all at once… That realization was like a sigh of relief, all while being one more added weight on their soul. As was the realization that they’d survived the war, accepted each other’s hearts, and all the what-could-be’s were now suddenly real, and achievable. But they were dreams they shared, and wanted to reach together. Byleth was sure that it was possible. They felt a warmth settle in their stomach at the thought. Again, they accepted it.

“I love you, too, my Hummingbird,” Yuri replied through a smile. He leaned forward on the blanket and gently grasped around Byleth’s ear, moving his fingers into that soft, minty hair. Pressing his forehead against theirs, he closed his eyes and sighed, almost wistfully. “I hope you’ll stay by my side, even after the day comes where Fodlan sees peace. You’re a part of my dreams in every sense of the word.”

Byleth looked up at Yuri and couldn’t help the smile plastered across their face as he spoke. No matter what the man said, he always managed to take their breath away. When he finished speaking, Byleth wasted no time in tugging the other in to meet his lips in a kiss. Yuri smirked against them, and brought his other hand to reach behind their neck.

Their kisses were easy, and trusting, as if holding each other close was what they were meant to do; as if that was the only way to truly make Sothis herself understand how important they were to each other, and their shared hopes and dreams. The world around them seemed to disappear as the only thing that could be heard was the warm summer wind brushing through the pine, and their own breathy sighs entangled together. Byleth carefully climbed into their husband’s lap, deepening the kiss as they hovered over his upper body and his head tilted up to meet them, Byleth’s hands on each side. Yuri moaned, and whispered his partner’s name into their mouth in response.

Upon hearing the sweet noise, Byleth opened their eyes to look down at him. They softly ran their fingers through his long, purple hair and studied his face. Yuri found himself doing the same. They both breathed shallow after parting, with eyes half-lidded and cheeks flushed. Between breaths, Yuri spoke, and turned his head to kiss their palm. “I want to have you, Byleth. Let me love you in every way.”

“I would love nothing more, my Mockingbird.”

**Author's Note:**

> this was my first fic for the fe fandom so i hope its alright. ; u ; any comments or criticism are always welcome...!
> 
> if anyone would like to follow me on twitter, [i'm at @yurixleclerc](https://twitter.com/yurixleclerc)!  
> i would love to interact with others !! we stan the ashen wolves and golden deer in this house


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